THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Big games will once again lack Fish-y aspect

In the aftermath of Friday's spirit competition between Coeur d'Alene and Lake City high schools being canceled on Wednesday for a second straight year, here's a Fight for the Fish trivia question:

It's widely assumed that last year was the first year there was no Fish spirit basketball games between Coeur d'Alene and Lake City, since the event began in 1999.

But there was one other calendar year when the Fish games were not held.

We'll answer that question later in this space.

After a year's absence, students from both schools were especially itching to make some noise again. But unfortunately COVID-19 had other ideas, so the Fight for the Fish spirit event scheduled for Friday at Coeur d'Alene High was canceled for a second straight year.

The basketball games between Lake City and Coeur d'Alene will still go on, however, as they count in the Inland Empire League standings, with the girls game at 5:30 p.m. and the boys to follow.

The Fish event was originally scheduled for Jan. 7, but was postponed due to weather.

That would have made for a rather loud Friday night in Kootenai County, as Lakeland is also scheduled to play host to Sandpoint on Friday in their annual Battle for the Paddle spirit games. That event consists of a girls basketball game at 4 p.m., a wrestling match at 6 and a boys basketball game at 8.

Unless, of course ...

ANYWAY, THIS was to be the 23rd edition of the Fish game, and the first experienced in person by Coeur d'Alene High boys coach Jon Adams, a 1991 CHS grad.

"I've seen film of some past Fish games," said Adams, in his second year as Viking coach. "The environment is just electric. I have a lot of friends in Boise that even, when we were down in Boise (for games earlier this season), were saying that Fish game is the best high school sporting event in the state of Idaho. And so it’s known throughout the state how good it is. It’s such a good environment; there’s so much school spirit."

However, Adams will have to wait for next year, his third season as Vikings coach, to experience first-hand his first Fish game.

Since the Fish games also count in the league standings, they become more than just a novelty. And spirit competition or no spirit competition, both games still carry great meaning — even though it stinks for the students, many of which attend a basketball game just one night per year, that being the Fight for the Fish.

Coeur d'Alene's boys (9-3, 3-1 IEL) are coming off a big win at home over Lewiston on Tuesday. Lake City (14-0, 3-0) beat Coeur d'Alene by 29 points at home just last Tuesday.

As for the girls, Coeur d'Alene (14-3, 5-0) will be trying to beat Lake City (16-2, 6-1) for the second time in 11 days, after the Vikings won by 14 points at Lake City.

Both teams own wins over Post Falls in the last week, Coeur d'Alene winning by five points last Friday, Lake City winning by 11 on Tuesday.

And last week Lewiston's girls, in fourth among the four 5A teams in the combined IEL, led by six points at Lake City before the Timberwolves rallied.

Just like in the boys 5A tournament, only the girls regional champion is guaranteed a berth to state. The regional runner-up can advance by winning a state play-in game, but the math suggests at least one really good team is going to be kept home.

"It's going to come down to a dog fight between all four teams," Post Falls girls coach Marc Allert said. "I think anybody can beat anybody in this league ... Lewiston proved that."

ONE RIVALRY which hasn't been up for grabs of late is the annual TerHark Cup wrestling dual between Coeur d'Alene and Lake City. The 27th edition is scheduled for tonight at 6:30 at Coeur d'Alene High.

After Lake City won six of the first seven TerHark Cups, Coeur d'Alene has won the last 19 in a row.

HERE'S THE Fish game trivia answer:

The spirit games were not held in the calendar year 2002. That's because the Fish games in the 2001-02 school year were held on Dec. 18, 2001. The Fish games in the 2002-03 school year were held on Jan. 10, 2003.

That's why they call it trivia.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @CdAPressSports.